Toy mountain railroad



May 28, 1968 A. EINFALT 3,384,991

TOY MOUNTAIN RAILROAD Filed July 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F 3 lwvewron Hz new EIIVFRL firrokuns y 8, 1968 A. EINFALT 3,384,991

TOY MOUNTAIN RAILROAD Filed July 29, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 74 new 5/ A/Fm 1' Mm/wt,

A TTOENEYS United States Patent 3,384,991 TOY MOUNTAIN RAILROAD Alfred Einfalt, Numberg, Germany, assignor to Gebruder Einfalt, Blechspielwarenfabrik, Nurnberg, Germany, a firm of Germany Filed July 29, 1965, Ser. No. 475,829

Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 6, 1965,

E 21,159 4 Claims. (Cl. 46-402) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There is disclosed a toy mountain railroad having a track system in which two self-propelled toy vehicles are driven, partly by the power drive of the vehicles and partly by gravity, from a main station to one or two sub-stations and back to the main station. The vehicle first returning to the main station is arrested in the station by stop means in the same and the second vehicle when approaching the entry to the main station releases the arrested first vehicle for further travel and eventual return to the main station and is itself arrested when arriv ing in the main station. There are also provided switch means for selectively directing the vehicles along different track sections of the track system.

The present invention relates to a toy railroad system, and more particularly to a toy railroad system simulating a mountain railroad with a track including upgrades and downgrades and one or several branch lines onto which a self-propelled toy vehicle may be selectively directed.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved mountain railroad of the general kind above referred to which offers a greater play value to a child than do railroads of this type as heretofore known, in that a child playing with the railroad according to the invention has more diversified possibilities of directing one or several vehicles along the track system of the railroad than are available with conventional comparable toy railroads.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy railroad the track system of which directs a vehicle from a main station over upgrades and downgrades to a closed track loop within which the vehicle may continue or from which it can be switched back to the main terminal, as a playing child desires.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy railroad the track system of which includes at the ends of an upgrade and a downgrade of the system substations at which the vehicle is stopped and at which it is directed to continue on another track portion and in the opposite direction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy railroad the main station of which includes releasable stop means automatically arresting a vehicle arriving at the station.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy railroad in which the stop means in the main station are releasable manually or by a second vehicle arriving at the main station, the second vehicle releasing a vehicle stopped in the main station and in turn arresting itself in the main station.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy railroad in which switching means for direction a vehicle placed upon the track systern of the railroad from the closed loop thereof to the main terminal are manually movable into either one of two switching positions and when released return into the second switching position.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter and set forth "ice in the appended claims constituting part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown by way of illustration, and not by way of limitation.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view of a toy railroad according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 1; 1

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line III--III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line IVIV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line V--V of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line VIVI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line VIIVII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line VIII-VIII of FIG. 1 and shows diagrammatically toy vehicles for use with the toy railroad;

FIG. 9 is a section taken on line lX--IX of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a side view of a toy vehicle on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the figures in detail, the exemplified toy mountain railroad comprises a base structure made of a suitable material, such as plastic or sheet metal. Any conventional or non-conventional suitable means and techniques for producing the base structure may be used. The specific means or techniques do not constitute part of the invention.

There is shown a main or starting station a from which an upgrade b leads to a first substation c which constitutes an abutment for a vehicle w, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. The track system is continued from substation c by a downgrade d which terminates at a second substation e, which also constitutes an abutment. A further downgrade 1 leads from second substation e to an upgrade g which is continued by a further upgrade h joining the downgrade f at an intermediate point.

As can be clearly seen in FIG. .1, the track portions leading to and from the substations extend in roughly opposite directions.

The track system further comprises a branch track k which leads to main station a and connects at one end to the first upgrade b. The other end of branch k terminates at a switch i.

As is apparent, the afore-described track system comprises a continuous main track system including upgrade b, downgrades d and f, upgrade g and branch track k, and a closed loop system including downgrade 1, upgrade g an upgrade h. Switch i either closes the loop or opens the same by connecting upgrade g with branch track k. The control of switch i will be more fully explained hereinafter.

Vehicle w is a self-propelled vehicle which is designed to travel on the upgrades of the track system in the manner of a cog or rack railroad. For this purpose each of the upgrades has along at least the major length thereof rack teeth, indicated more in detail at k in FIG. 2. Vehicle w has a pinion W1 which is driven by a spring motor or any other drive mot-or in the vehicle. The teeth of pinion w are engageable with the rack teeth, thereby driving the vehicle upwardly on the upgrades in a well understood manner.

The operation of vehicle w is controlled by means of a control arm w This arm is biased, for instance, by gravity, to drop into a lower position shown in FIG. 10, in which the bottom edge of arm W2 rests on the support base of the vehicle and extends at least to the outer perimeter of the teeth. Furthermore, the arm in its bottom position blocks rotation of the pinion by the spring or other drive motor of the vehicle.

When the vehicle reaches the rack teeth of an upgrade,

the forward slanted edge of the arm will cause lifting of the same, thereby uncovering the teeth of the pinion. At the same time the arm will release the pinion for rotation. As a result, the vehicle will be propelled upwardly on the respective upgrade. When the vehicle reaches the upper end of the upgrade and a smooth section of the track system, the arm, which has been held in its upper position by the rack teeth, drops into its bottom position, thereby stopping the pinion.

Self-propelled vehicles of the kind described are conventional and well known in the art. They do not constitute part of the invention, and hence are not further described in detail.

The travel of the vehicle on the track system is controlled by a stop means provided in a building u of main station a. The stop means, which can best be seen in FIGS. 5 through 9, comprises a nose q on a lever s pivotally mounted at t in building a. Lever s comprises an outwardly extending grip v by means of which the lever can be tilted from the position shown in FIG. 9, in which the lever rests on a shoulder 14' of the building, into a lifted position by exerting a downward pressure upon grip v. The lever is biased by a directional force, such as gravity or a spring, into the illustrated full line position. Nose q of the lever coacts with a protrusion, such as a lug r, provided on the roof of the vehicle w.

Lug r engages lever nose q when the vehicle arrives in the main station, thereby arresting the vehicle. The same can be released by lifting lever s, as previously described.

The stop means further includes means for automatically releasing an arrested vehicle. These means comprise an extension of lever s terminating in a curved guide portion x convexly curved in reference to the track system. Guide portion x is engageable with the lug r on a second vehicle w following the first vehicle. As can best be seen in FIG. 8, engagement of guide portion x with lug r' will lift lever s, thereby releasing the first vehicle. The second vehicle will be arrested by the lever, which drops back into its full line position as soon as the lug of the first vehicle clears nose q.

The switch i of the track system comprises a switch tongue m fitted in a suitably shaped slot 1 provided in the track bed. Switch tongue m is movable between a lower position in which it is substantially flush with the track bed and an upper position in which it protrudes from the track bed.

As is evident from FIG. 1, switch tongue m in its raised position directs a vehicle from upgrade g to upgrade k; that is, a vehicle will travel within the afore-described closed loop of the track system. When the switch tongue is in its lower position, a vehicle will be directed from upgrade g to branch track k; that is, to the main station.

The position of the switch tongue is controlled by a grip p. The switch tongue is biased by a directional force, such as gravity or a spring, into its lower position and can be lifted into its upper position by depressing grip p.

Guide ribs y may be provided to facilitate passage of the vehicle or vehicles from one track portion to another.

The toy mountain railroad as hereinbefore described operates as follows:

Let it be assumed that a vehicle with its spring motor wound up is placed on the track in the main station and is arrested by the stop means as previously described. A playing child may then release the vehicle and push the same into a position in which its pinion w becomes engaged with the rack teeth of upgrade b. The vehicle will now be driven up the grade, as previously described, and at the end of the upgrade it is propelled by its own momentum until it is stopped at the first substation c. Pinion W1 is automatically arrested by the action of control lever w as soon as the vehicle leaves the rack teeth. The vehicle may remain at a standstill at the first substation, and may then be slightly pushed by a child until it enters the downgrade d, or more likely the vehicle, due

tion c, will bounce back from this wall and automatically enter downgrade d in the reverse direction.

The vehicle will again be temporarily stopped at the second substation e and will then continue its travel in the reverse direction on downgrade f until it reaches upgrade g. The motor will now become active and will drive the vehicle up on upgrade g.

The child now has the choice of letting the vehicle continue either on upgrade hthat is, within the closed loop systemor along branch k, by either operating or not operating switch i. If the child chooses not to operate the switch, the vehicle will arrive at the main station via branch k, in which it is stopped as previously described.

If a second vehicle w,, is placed on the track system, the two vehicles will be alternately arrested and released. The child can also elect to let one vehicle continue on the main track and the other along the closed loop, taking care that no collision occurs, or guide the vehicles so that a collision does occur, if the child should like to cause a railroad accident.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from v the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended,

to the inherent elasticity of the abutment wall in substatherefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy mountain railroad, a track system comprising a main station, a first and a second sub-station, an upgrade track leading from the main station to the first sub-station; a downgrade track leading from the first substation to the second sub-station; a closed loop track joined to said downgrade track at said second sub-station; a branch track leading from said loop track and past the main station to said upgrade track; switch means between said loop track and said branch track for closing the loop track or connecting the same to the branch track to direct a vehicle placed on the track system selectively either along the loop track or to said upgrade track via the branch track and the main station; two self-propelled vehicles adapted for travel on said track system; releasable stop means at said main station, said stop means being engageable with a vehicle on a track portion in the main station to arrest said vehicle, said stop means including a support structure and a lever pivotally supported on said support structure, said lever having a first arm movable between a position extending into the path of a vehicle passing the main station to arrest said vehicle and a position withdrawn from said path to release the arrested vehicle and a second arm operable from the outside of said support structure to move said first arm into a selected one of said positions, each of said vehicles having abutment means engageable with said first arm of the lever in the vehicle arresting position thereof for moving said arm into the release position to release a first vehicle arrested in said main station by atrival of the second vehicle in said station and engagement of the abutment means thereof with said first arm, said lever being biased by a directional force to return the lever into the position in which the first lever arm is in its vehicle arresting position thereby arresting the second vehicle after the release of the first vehicle by the second vehicle.

2. A toy mountain railroad according to claim 1, wherein said first and second substations are terminals stopping a vehicle arriving at either of the terminals on the respective track leading thereto, the tracks leading to and from said terminals extending in substantially opposite directions to reverse the direction of travel of a vehicle at each terminal.

3. A toy mountain railroad according to claim 1, wherein said switch means comprise a switch tongue movably mounted between a position closing said loop and a position opening the loop and connecting the branch thereto, and actuating means for moving said tongue into a selected one of said positions.

4. A toy mountain railroad according to claim 3, wherein said actuating means comprises a lever for moving the tongue into one of said positions thereof, said lever being biased by a directional force to return the tongue into the other position upon release of said lever.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,065,713 11/ 1962 Einfalt 104-67 3,154,024 10/1964 Einfalt 104-60 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

C. R. WENTZEL, Assistant Examiner. 

